Elliott was one of seven cars that didn’t clear technical inspection before the first of three qualifying rounds concluded, but he was the only driver among the final eight still eligible to compete for the championship not to make a qualify run.

The No. 24 team tried attempted to get the car though spec three times.

"It's kind of the state of the sport." crew chief Alan Gustafson told USA TODAY Sports. "(The cars) are pretty heavily scrutinized. If you don't hit it right, you don't make it."

Gustafson declined to state what part of the car was flagged by NASCAR officials, who use a laser platform to clear cars before qualifying and races. The team ran the car again through spec about an hour after qualifying.

"We will see Sunday," Gustafson said when asked if the problem had been addressed by the team.

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These 16 drivers competed for bragging rights and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series trophy. This season, bonus points carried over into every round except the finale. Drivers are listed by final points after the 10-race playoff concluded at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
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